Shelly's Recipe

TRIPLE COCONUT CREAM PIE

Category: Pies - Cream and Custard

Coconut Crust
1 cup plus 2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut, packed
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 to 5 tbsp ice water

Coconut Cream Filling
2 cups whole milk
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, packed
1 vanilla bean
2 large eggs
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp flour
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cups whipping cream, chilled
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar

Garnish
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 (4- to 6-oz) bar white chocolate, shaved

Crust: Pulse first 5 ingredients in a food processor 6 to 10 times or until mixture is crumbly. Add water, 1 tbsp at a time, pulsing once after each addition, until dough holds together when pressed between fingers. (Dough will not form a ball or even clump together in processor—it will be loose.) Turn dough out onto a large sheet of plastic wrap; press into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill at least 1 hour or overnight.

For 9 inch crust: Roll dough 12- to 13-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate, trimming excess to a 1- to 11/2-inch overhang. Turn dough under along rim of pie pan, and flute edges. Chill at least 1 hour before baking.

Preheat oven to 400. Place a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper in pie crust, extending over edges, and fill with dried beans, rice, or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; discard foil and beans, and return pie crust to oven. Bake for 14 to 17 more minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven, and cool completely on a wire rack.

(For mini tarts: Preheat oven to 400. Spray a mini muffin tray with cooking spray Roll dough out to a normal, even thickness. Cut with a round cookie cutter that's slightly larger than the size of the top of the mini muffin cup. Using a mortar or your fingers, push the dough down into the cup so it's laying flatly at the bottom of the cup. If the dough seems thin, take a small ball of dough and push it down into the bottom of the cup. Bake one tray at a time in the center of the oven for 10-12 minutes, until edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool. Remove the mini pie shells and cool on wire rack.

Prepare Coconut Cream Filling: Combine milk and 2 cups sweetened coconut in a 3 1/2-quart saucepan. Split vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and scrape seeds into milk mixture. Add pod. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture almost comes to a boil. Remove from heat.

Whisk together eggs, 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar, and flour in a medium bowl until well blended. Gradually whisk about 1/3 cup milk mixture into egg mixture; pour back into saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 4-6 minutes or until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Whisk 3 more minutes or until very thick. Remove from heat; add butter, and whisk until melted. Discard vanilla pod. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl, and place entire bowl in a larger bowl of ice water. Stir occasionally until mixture cools. Remove medium bowl from ice bath, and place plastic wrap directly on surface of mixture; chill 4 hours or until cold. (Mixture will thicken.)

Fill baked pie crust with pastry cream, smoothing surface. For mini tarts, each tart can hold about 3 tsp.

Toasted Coconut Topping: Preheat oven to 350. Spread coconut chips on a baking sheet, and bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until golden, stirring twice. Cool.

Whipped Topping: Beat whipping cream, 1/4 cup sugar, and vanilla extract until foamy. Gradually increase speed to high, and beat until soft peaks form.

Pie Assembly: Pipe or spoon whipped cream over pie(s). Sprinkle toasted coconut and white chocolate curls over the pie(s). Cover pie and store in the refrigerator.